The Cupboard
by Irianel
Summary: Alternate to arriving in Innail. Maerad and Cadvan are staying with Malgorn in Innail. Maerad hears a noise from above...


**The Cupboard. **

She turned down a road in panic. Her pursuer was close now. It's hooded face behind her, it's breath on her neck, causing her distress. She allowed herself to twist her head round, to glimpse at it. She turned straight back, not allowing herself to look in its eyes. They were glowing red, a sign of hunger – human hunger – its eyes where encased by it's otherwise black figure. All around her towers fell, fires burned and children screamed. The monster was close now, close enough to grasp her shoulders. The claws reached out, and pulled at her arm.

Maerad awoke with a scream. Cadvan was immediately by her side.

"Maerad…Maerad?" he whispered. His voice was melodic, like a song. "Are you okay?"

"I…I'm…Was I asleep?" Maerad questioned, her voice thick with sleep.

"Yes, you were crying out for help, you were crying because the hulls were coming to get you," He answered her, anxiously.

"I saw Pellinor, again, but the Hulls were there, destroying everything," Maerad whispered in fright. Pellinor had been a place of splendour, music drifted along the streets, the smell of cakes and pies was absolutely everywhere, the place could tickle at your senses. Maerad was too young to have ever remembered it this way. She was stolen away as a baby, when the hull's had come. They took her from her home, and that was how she had got here. Her misfortune had been changed for the better, Cadvan had introduced her to a world of magic, bards and things that were beyond her wildest dreams.

Maerad suddenly became aware of her surroundings. It was somewhere new. It seemed to be a desert, only not quite so hot and sandy, the sand was almost a mud and the clouds that were in the sky were grey and dull. A small distance away, was a School. Schools were where the Bards lived, where they raised their young and taught the Bards of the future. It was the first school she had seen since Pellinor. The bricks of the outer wall were red, although they looked faded from this distance. The weather didn't help, it made everything seem dark and dull. A storm was coming.

"The Vandrost is coming for attack," Cadvan said "He sends his Wers in first, he will follow,"

Maerad eyes flickered towards Cadvan, she had heard stories of the Wers, they were Shadow Creatures, savage and evil. They were pure white and had the natural form of a wolf, but they could change, shape shift before your very eyes. Living nightmares, is the only true way to describe them.

Cadvan stood and mounted his horse. Darsor was certainly a magnificent steed, a dark brown stallion of 15 hands in height. Her mount was less impressive, however Maerad still considered Imi to be the best in the seven kingdoms of Annar.

As they approached the school, Cadvan demounted from his stallion, Maerad felt obliged to copy. Suddenly a man's face appeared from the top of the red stone. Maerad could tell from his jolly smile that he – like her – was one of the gift, a Bard.

"Cadvan," The jolly Bard yelled. "I have not seen you in along time," The man looked old, older than Cadvan, but with Bards it was difficult to tell their real age, as they lived much longer than humans.

"Nor have I seen you Malgorn," Cadvan called back. It was at that moment the gates opened. The heavy iron doors pulled back to reveal the school. Maerad followed Cadvan through as he entered.

The school was beautiful, flowers grew everywhere, trees were in blossom. In this magical place, it was difficult to remember the storm that was brewing outside its walls. Maerad wanted to look around, to explore, but she didn't have time for her longings, not when the Landrost was upon them.

It was late evening when they arrived at Malgorn's house. When they entered servants were busying themselves, talking in the speech. The Speech was part of her gift, however being new to it; she could only understand a few of the words. Her favourite word was _Iriontal_ it was a flower. The flowers petals were as white as snow – This was what Iri meant – and its dainty shape was like that of a snowflake, like those one only sees in dreams. As the door to the main living space opened, a lyres beautiful music came into hearing, also the magnificent smell of a home cooked meal tickled her senses.

Cadvan lead her towards a table, she sat down. It became to her that it was later than she had thought; the chefs and the waiters were going home; the curtains were being drawn shut; and the man she remembered as Malgorn was going up the stairs in his night clothes. She met his eyes, and he waved in a friendly way before disappearing down a corridor.

And that's when it happened. As Maerad sat at the table, a loud bang erupted from a room above her. It made her jump, but on the other hand, Cadvan barely noticed. Was she imagining it? For a moment she discounted it. Then it happened again, louder this time. Cadvan glanced up; she noticed a flicker of panic flash through his eyes.

"Cadvan…," She whispered. She knew that if she ventured upstairs then she would be putting herself into mortal danger, but she had to know…

"I need to…" Maerad had to think of an excuse. But what?

"Go to the bathroom," Cadvan finished for her, his mouth stuffed full of mushrooms.

"Um…Yes," Maerad lied, sounding uncertain.

"Up the stairs and take the third door on your right," Cadvan told her. Maerad stood up, and left.

The rooms above were a mystery to her, but she figured from the general house plan where the room should be. There was an eerie green fog that lined the floor. Maerad thought she was going mad because of the lack of sleep, thought she was seeing things. However she couldn't have imagined the smell. It was horrible, like that of a thousand rotting bodies.

She entered the room, apprehensive at first. The dark of the room instantly depressed her. She struggled to see, the black suppressing her vision. When her sight finally returned, she saw it. It was tall and bold, and it stood towards the back of the room, blocking any light that should enter from the windows. Maerad stared in disbelief. She had been scared of a cupboard! She, who had fought creatures of the dark, was scared to her wits end by a cupboard! Maerad came to her senses. She realised how stupid she had been, making herself panic for no reason. She left the room (In a slight embarrassment) without another thought of the cupboard.

Maerad had just passed the end of the corridor when it returned. The odd sound, this time continuous. It didn't end. She noticed how thick the green fog had become, so thick that she could barely see. The smell was over powering now too, Maerad felt faint. Through blurred vision she could see a figure coming toward her. At first she panicked, but then saw that it was Cadvan. He was running at quite a pace, getting nearer and nearer, until her grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him. They ran to the strange room. And then Maerad saw it, the cupboard. It was shaking, moving around the floor, the green fog emerging from its various cracks. Dust fell in its wake, making Maerad want to sneeze, but she couldn't. She could hardly move. Cadvan reached forward, pulling back its heavy doors. Was the Hull from her dream in there? Had the Landrost got into the cupboard? Many questions ran through Maerad's head. They door swung open, Maerad screamed.

Screams in the dark.


End file.
